Posting is a management tool widely employed by FSA partners to help protect important shorebird and seabird sites. Posting establishes a buffer zone with signs and/or symbolic fencing where access by people, pets, and vehicles is restricted or limited.

Why posting is necessary

For most beaches in Florida, posting is critical to the success of nesting shorebirds and seabirds. Nests, eggs, and young chicks are well-camouflaged (photo, left), and can easily get trampled and destroyed where pedestrian or vehicle traffic is present.

In addition, shorebirds and seabirds are very sensitive to disturbance. When people, pets, or vehicles approach too closely to a nest or colony, adults will depart and leave the eggs or chicks temporarily exposed to the elements or nearby predators. On a popular beach, this may happen repeatedly, placing the eggs and young in grave danger.

FSA partners post a large majority of the nests and colonies on Florida's beaches. Unfortunately, posting does not always keep everyone or everything out, and some circumstances (e.g. busy holiday weekends) require a combination of posting and site supervision from local managers or bird stewards, learn more.

When to post

For the most part, signs and symbolic fencing are not put up until nests with eggs are found on the beach. However, on public lands or private beaches where permission is given, FSA partners will pre-post sites that are traditionally used by shorebirds and seabirds. Pre-posting gives the birds room to court and find nest sites.

Posting on private property must be coordinated through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). On public lands, local land managers typically oversee posting efforts. If you find an unposted nest or colony, and are unsure who manages the property, please contact your respective FWC Regional Biologist as soon as possible.

This handbook is intended to serve as both a comprehensive resource and quick how-to guide for anyone interested in posting a nesting site. We recommend that partners read this entire handbook before posting an area.